Pneumatic-railway system.



No. 680,843. Patented Aug. 20," 190i.

I C. COMSTOCK.

PNEUMATIC RAILWAY SYSTEM.

Application filed Mar. 18, 1898. Renew ed Dec. 18, 1900.)

' 4 Sheets-Sheet (No Model.)

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Qvihwmeo Patented Aug. 20, |90L C. CDMSTUCK.

PNEUMATIC RAILWAY SYSTEWI.

(Application filed Mar. 18, 1898. Rehewed Dec. 18, 1900.)

4 Sheets-Sheet 2,

(No Model.)

FM-nwwtm album Patented Aug. 20, 190i; 0. COMSTUCK. PNEUMATIC RAILWAY SYSTEM. (Application filed Mar. 18, 1898. Renewed Dec. 18, 1900.)

4 Sheets-Sheet 3.

(No Model.)

Patented Aug. 20, I90l.

C. COMSTOCK. PNEUMATIC RAILWAY SYSTEM. (Application filed M31348, 1898. Renewed Dec. 18, 1900.

(No Model.

4 Sheets-- Sheet 4 llniirnn Frames PATENT @rrncn.

CHARLES OOMSTOCK, OF RICHMOND, VIRGINIA.

PNEUMATIC-RAILWAY SYSTEM.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N 0. 680,843, dated August 20, 1901. Application filed March 18, 1898. Renewed December 18, 1900. Serial No. 40,807. (No model.)

specification.

My invention relates to improvements in pneumatic railways; and it consists of a railway having a propelling-tube with a piston therein, the propelling-tube having a slot through which an extension from the piston passes to be connected to a car or other vehicle.

The primary object of my invention is the providing of a propelling-tube in a road-bed, the propelling-tube having a longitudinal opening with a closing member therefor and a piston within the tube having an extension passing through the slot which is adapted to be connected to a car or other vehicle, the vehicle being provided with an air-pump and an engine for running it, whereby air is eX- hausted from the propelling-tube at either end of the piston, according to the will of the driver, whereby the vehicle or car will be propelled in either direction.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure l is a sectional View of a grip-car, showing my invention connected therewith and the propelling-tube and part of the cylinder and the extension thereof in section. Fig. 2 is a similar view showing my invention applied to the front end of an ordinary street passenger-car. Fig. 3 is a perspective view of a road-bed, showing my invention applied thereto and adapted to be connected to any vehicle provided with a pump and engine for propelling it. Fig. 4 is a perspective view of a vehicle provided with an engine and pump shown connected up with the piston. Fig. 5 is a horizontal sectional view through a part of the propelling-tube, showing means for dividing the propelling-tube into sections. Fig. 6 is an enlarged sectional view on the line 6 6 of Fig. 7 is a detached top view of the Fig. 8 is an enlarged vertical see- Fig. 5. piston.

tional view taken through the upper end of the piston-standard in a direction longitudinal the car or vehicle and showing the valve construction. Fig. 9 is a vertical sectional View at right angles to Fig. 8. Fig. 10 is a detached perspective view of the valve.

Referring now to the drawings, A in Fig. 1 represents a grip-car, and B a propelling-tube, which is embedded in a road-bed or roadway, said propelling-tube having a longitudinal slot 0, adapted to be closed by a flap or closing member D. Situated within this propelling-tube B is a double-headed piston E, the connecting portion or center thereof being of tubular form, as clearly shown. By reference to Fig. 5 it will be seen that the propelling-tube B is provided with a series of pockets G, which contain balls H, the pockets being arranged at an incline, as shown in Fig. 6, so that the balls will roll down the incline and across and close the tube, as shown in Fig. 5. The object of this is to divide the tube up into short sections, which sections may be of any desired length best adapted for practical purposes. The piston E is provided at each end with a tapered projection 1, adapted to engage the ball H and force it back into its pocket as the piston passes, the piston at this point being carried by the momentum of the car until the ball closes behind it, the operation of which will be more fully described hereinafter.

The car or vehicle, as the case may be, is provided with a gasolene engine inclosed within a box J, and this engine will run a pump K, the said pump having communication with the upper end of the piston-standard L through the opening M thereof. As shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the upper end of this standard L is bolted to the under side of the car either at the center or in the front, and the communication M will be in communication with the air-pump K. The pump will be of the form for exhausting air from the propelling-tube B in a manner to be presently described, and the pump may be of any form, as also the engine, and as the construction of either of these does not form any part of my present invention the specific construction has not been shown, it being deemed unnecessary.

The upper end of the hollow standard L is standard L is provided with the passage-- ways e and f, which are divided by the vertical web g. This vertical web extends down and divides the connecting-tube F of the piston into two parts, whereby the passages e and f communicate, respectively, with the that aside from the equipment being conforward and rear end of the piston, and consequently with the propelling-tube a t opposite ends of the piston. Passing transverse the upper end of the standardL is a passage way t, having its ends communicating with the atmosphere. One end of the valve 0 is provided with asquare shoulder j, adapted to receive the operating-lever k, which extends up within the car and may or may not be provided with a spring-catch Z, adapted to engage a quadrant m. I,

The operation of this construction is as follows: The tube F having. its opposite ends in communication with the propelling-tube B through the head of the cylinder and' the passages e andfbeing in communication with the tube F, when the valve is in the position shown in Fig. 8 the pump will be exhausting air from the propelling-tube at the right-hand side of Figs. 1 and 2, while air is admitted to the propelling-tube at the opposite ends of the piston through the passage-way or groove 1) of the valve and the passage-way e of the standard L. By turning the valve so that its passage-way 0 will be in communication with the passage-way i the pump will be ex haustin'g from the atmosphere, and by ap plying the brake the car will stop and be held. By turning the valve in the same direction indicated by arrow in Fig. 8 until the passageway 0 is in communication with the passageway e the pump will be exhausting air from the opposite side of the piston, as will be readily understood, and atmosphere will be passing in the propelling-tube at the other end of the piston through the passage-wayct of the valve and the passage-way f of the standard L. Owing to this construction a slight movement of the valve will cause the air to be exhausted from either end of the piston, as may be desired, and the car thereby propelled by the exhaustion of the air and the admission of the air or atmosphere at the opposite end of the piston.

By dividing the propelling-tube B into short sections the car will be propelled more quickly than if in large sections, for the reason that there will be a smaller space for the pump to exhaust the air from.

By reference to Fig. 3 it will be noticed that the upper end of the standard is provided with a tube or pipe connection fladapted to have connection with the pump of an ordinary vehicle, as shown in Fig. 4, in any desired manner, and the upper end of the standard is provided with a socket 8, adapted .to receive the front axle of the vehicle and to be clamped thereto, whereby the vehicle will be attached ready for operation, the operating-lever 10 extending up alongside of the seat 6 of the vehicle, as shown in Fig. 4,

to be operated by the driver. Owing to this construction any vehicle which is provided with an engine and a pump can be connected with the standard and propelled as desired along the roadway.

From the above description it will be noted nect'ed to cars, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2', it

is a complete equipment projecting in the roadway and adapted for connection with any vehicle provided with the pump and engine, whereby that vehicle can be drawn along the same as the car.

Having thus described my'i'nv'ention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. A pneumatic-railway system comprising a propelling-tube, a piston therein having two heads,a hollow tube connecting them,a standf ard projecting from the hollow tube and having communication with the propelling-tube at opposite ends of the piston, a vehicle con nected with thestand'ard and having a pump and an engine, and a valve mechanism situ ated betweenthe'propelling-tube and theengine adaptedto admit air'to' either end of thepiston'an'd' to exhaust airfr'o'm theopposite end of the piston, substantially as described.

2. A pneumatic system comprising a propelli ng-tube, and movable balls adapted to move in and out of said tube for dividing it into sections, substantiallyas described.

3. A- pneumatic system comprising a pro pelling-tube, provided with laterally-projecting pockets, and balls situated in said pockets and adapted to move across and close said tube, substantially as described.

4. A railway system comprising a propel= ling-tube having a longitudinal slot, a pistontherein" having passage-ways communicating at opposite ends thereof with the propelling tube, a standard projecting from the piston through the said slot and having passage-ways in communication with the piston passageway's, a pressure-producing device in com munication with the standard passage-ways, and a valve situated between the piston and the pressure-producing device, said valve having a passage-way adapted to be thrown into communication with either of said stand ard passage-ways, and passage-ways adapted to be thrown in communication respectively with the atmosphere, substantially as described.

5. A railway systemcomprising a propelling-tube having a longitudinal slot,- a piston within the tube having communication thereiIG with, a standard connected with the piston and having a passage-Way in communication with the piston communication, a valve-seat having passages in communication respectively with the atmosphere and with said propolling-tube, and a pressure-producing device in communication with said valve-seat, and a Valve having a passage-way adapted to be thrown into communication respectively with either the tube passage-way or the at- 10 mospheric passage-way substantially as and for the purpose described.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two Witnesses.

CHARLES OOMSTOCK. Witnesses:

PHILIP PALM, RICHARD W. BENDULL. 

